Blunt, Ashcroft, Bond, Talent & Danforth Ask Akin To Step Aside

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ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI) - Missouri politicians have banded together to issue a statement to ask Missouri US GOP Senatorial candidate Todd Akin to step aside. On Sunday during FOX 2's Jaco Report he made controversial comments that have caused a national uproar. During that interview the congressman and U.S. Senate candidate was asked whether abortion should be allowed in the case of rape.

Akin’s response was that it was his understanding from doctors that it’s rare for someone to become pregnant from rape. He said, “The female body has ways to try and shut that whole thing down.”

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt called U.S. Representative Todd Akin's recent statements "totally unacceptable". Missouri U.S. Senators John Ashcroft, Kit Bond, John Danforth, and Jim Talent have issued this statement to Todd Akin:

"We do not believe it serves the national interest for Congressman Todd Akin to stay in this race. The issues at stake are too big, and this election is simply too important. The right decision is to step aside."

The National Republican Senatorial Committee released this statement Tuesday:

“This is undoubtedly a difficult time for Congressman Akin, but the stakes in this election are far bigger than any one individual. By staying in this race, Congressman Akin is putting at great risk many of the issues that he and others in the Republican Party are fighting for, including the repeal of ObamaCare.

“It should not be lost on anyone that some of the only voices not calling for Congressman Akin to do the right thing and step aside are Claire McCaskill and the leaders of the pro-abortion movement. Senator McCaskill knows that the only way she wins re-election is if Todd Akin is her opponent in November.

“We continue to hope that Congressman Akin will do the right thing for the values he holds dear, but there should be no mistake – if he continues with this misguided campaign, it will be without the support and resources of the NRSC.”

“Rep. Akin faces a simple choice: Will he help Democrats hold the McCaskill seat and potentially the Senate majority by staying in the race, or will he help Republicans defeat Barack Obama’s most reliable ally in the Senate by getting out?”

“Congressman Akin used the phrase “legitimate rape” in the sense of an actual, “forcible rape” as opposed to a claimed rape after consensual sex. He did not mean to imply that there is anything “legitimate” about some rapes compared to others or intend to be insensitive about the trauma that is experienced by women in a rape situation. We’ve all chosen a word with more than one meaning before and we censure those Republicans who refuse to call Bidden to task for his statements and yet throw one of our own under the bus by joining with Democrats in this misleading attack with ulterior motives. We call on all Republicans to accept the Congressman’s heartfelt and contrite apology offered by an honorable man.”